Medicaid Matters New York (MMNY)
In February 2003, Care for the Homeless joined forces with health
care advocates around the state to respond to Medicaid attacks at
the state and federal levels. As a result, Medicaid
Matters New York (MMNY), originally called the Medicaid
Defense Group, was organized and has since worked tirelessly to protect
Medicaid at every level of government. This consumer-oriented, statewide
coalition of over 100 organizations was founded on the premise that
“Medicaid matters,” and drastic cuts in the program will
adversely affect all New Yorkers.
Medicaid is a New York success story. When any New Yorker, insured
or not, visits a hospital in the state, he or she benefits from
this crucial program. It is the largest payer for births in our
state, an integral part of children’s health care, and the
primary funding source for long-term care of New York’s elderly
and disabled. It is also important to New York’s economy,
supporting thousands of jobs in the health care sector. Medicaid
and Medicare combined make up 70 percent of hospital revenues, and
if either of these programs is cut, everyone who uses hospitals
will feel the effects.
MMNY’s mission is to ensure that policy makers understand
the importance of Medicaid, and that Medicaid beneficiaries have
a strong voice in the halls of government. The ultimate goal is
to establish a model for beneficiary-driven advocacy that is sustainable
over the long term and that can be replicated in other states. While
many coalitions exist that advocate on behalf of health care providers,
MMNY’s is perhaps the only organized, statewide coalition
that speaks solely for beneficiaries.
Our organized activities have led to considerable successes, including
advocacy in 2003 that:
This year, New York State’s fiscal position is again threatening
Medicaid funding. The Governor’s proposed Executive Budget
and the New York Senate’s Medicaid Reform Task Force report
both make it clear that the cost of this critical program is
reaching
crisis levels. Some of the proposals put out by the Governor and
the Senate make a lot of fiscal sense. For example, CFH supports
moving seniors and people with disabilities from institutions
into community settings, a shift that would save money and improve
quality
of care. Unfortunately, also proposed are hard-hitting cuts that,
if enacted, will impose a severe burden on Medicaid beneficiaries.
Knowing that a better way exists to save money and to improve the
Medicaid program, Care for the Homeless worked extensively with
MMNY on the development and release of a report with ten consumer-friendly
ideas to improve New York’s Medicaid program and save money
for New York tax payers. Finding
a Better Way, released in early March, hopes to
debunk the myth that Medicaid cuts will ease New York’s financial
crisis. The report then proposes genuine reforms that will not endanger
our most vulnerable residents.
In the upcoming years, Care for the Homeless will continue to advocate
with MMNY, assuring access to health care for homeless people and
all other New Yorkers eligible for our public health insurance programs.
Some of the advocacy approaches we will continue to use include:
Public commitment to the preservation of New York’s
health care programs is very important. Call Doug Berman for information
on how you can support health care advocates in their fight to protect
our health care system.
Doug Berman
Director of Policy
(212) 366-4459
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